Annealing furnace rolls transfer hot steel strips from the furnace. Several problems occur that reduce the life of such rolls. For example, the rolls tend to "pick up" material from the strip because of an adhesive characteristic. This property causes the rolls to wear, consequently requiring frequent roll replacement. In addition, the rolls are usually made with a welded construction. Heat transferred from the strip to the roll tends to weaken the welds. The weakened rolls are expensive to replace.